CATARACT

Cataract is the leading cause of decreased vision and blindness in our country.
This article gives you an overview of the condition and the latest treatment modalities available.

What is Cataract?

Cataract is clouding of the eye's natural lens. cataract vision

It is a natural process of ageing. Every person gets it sooner or later. It impairs focusing of light on the retina and hence blurs vision.

Causes of Cataract

Factors other than ageing may cause cataract as well. Cataract sometimes occurs relatively early in life due to factors such as injury, excessive sunlight, toxic chemicals, changes in the body metabolism, drugs or secondary to eye diseases, such as glaucoma and inflammations. There can also be hereditary predispositions to earlier occurrence of cataract

Symptoms of Cataract

People with cataract, even when wearing glasses, typically have
Glare at night,Difficulty in recognizing colours,Foggy / smoky vision and Frequent changes in their glass prescription

Treatment of Cataract

There are no medicines with proven efficacy to prevent or to treat cataract. The only effective treatment is surgical removal of Cataract. Diabetes, hypertension and other general health problems are not a contraindication for Cataract surgery. The cataract need not mature for surgery.

When to Treat

The decision to treat a cataract is made by the eye care practitioner and the patient together. The decisionis based on the degree to which the Cataract is impairing vision and the effect of the impairment on the patient's quality of life.

Recommended Treatment for Cataract

There is no other treatment for Cataract except surgery. There are three treatment options available for cataract.

1) ECCE (Conventional method)

This treatment requires an incision of 9 mm, The surgeon removes the clouded lens in one piece,A hard rigid lens is implanted, Multiple stitches are required, High risk of post operative distorted vision and complications.
Most patients would require glasses for both distance and near vision.

2 )Phaco Emulsification

Today's Cataract surgery is a marvel of medical technology. Often it is performed as an outpatient procedure. It is the latest and most sophisticated method of removing a Cataract. In the surgical procedure, the clouded Cataractous lens is extracted by fragmenting it into tiny pieces with a suction device. Cataract is removed through a small swlf sealing wound. There are no sutures applied on the eye. The patient will need glasses for near vision.

Why Phaco Emulsification?

Stitch less
Blood Less
Pain less
Shorter overall duration of surgery
Less post operative discomfort
Minimal post operative restrictions
Early rehabilitation
Less induce astigmatism
Perfect early restoration of vision
More satisfied patient and surgeon

3) Micro Incision phaco emulsification with Foldable Intraocular Lens Implantation

Cataract extraction by phaco emulsification through a 2.8 mm incision and implanting a foldable intraocular lens is a definite technological advancement and a giant leap towards technological excellence.
The lens is folded and injected into the eye through a small opening and it unfolds within the eye.

Advantages of Micro Incision phaco emulsification with Foldable Intraocular Lens Implantation

Wound healing is very fast
Wound stability is far better since the entire surgery is done through a very small opening
Induced astigmatism is minimal
Decreases glare because of the superior surface quality of the lens.
The Patient will not feel any surgical impact and have a painless and suture less surgical procedure, making this an outpatient procedure.
The patients will need glasses for reading. However if they desire to be free from glasses they can opt fo multi focal IOL.

Cataract